Any true crime addict will tell you that they simply can't! get! enough! From series on Netflix to documentaries and even books – there seems to be no end to the (often terrifying) true crime stories we're willing to sink our teeth into. And the latest addition to our true crime pile is Kim Kardashian's podcast – The System: The Case of Kevin Keith.
The System: The Case of Kevin Keith launched on Spotify on Monday 3 October and explores the story of Ohio man, Kevin Keith, and his attempts to prove his innocence. Across the eight-part series, Kardashian is joined as host by criminal justice reform advocate, Lori Rothschild Ansaldi.
So, whether you've already listened to a few episodes and have ~questions~ or you're a newbie to The System: The Case of Kevin Keith wanting to swot up before you tune in, here's the true story behind Kim Kardashian's crime podcast...
What is Kim Kardashian's true crime podcast about?
In her true crime podcast, Kardashian investigates the case of Kevin Keith (more on that later!) with the help of criminal justice expert, Ansaldi.
"Over 8 episodes, Kim Kardashian and team will take a deep dive into the case, raise important questions, and try to shed light on a legal system that is often puzzling," the synopsis of the podcast explains. "Though it’s said, 'innocent until proven guilty', was Kevin Keith truly given a fair shot? Draw your own conclusions in this twisted and at times, unbelievable story."
Who is Kevin Keith?
In February 1994, Kevin Keith was arrested for a triple homicide that took place in Bucyrus, Ohio. He was never questioned before his arrest and there was no forensic evidence to connect Keith to the murders, but the prosecution claimed that Keith was trying to retaliate against an informant in a drug bust that led to an arrest in January 1994. In May 1994, a jury found him guilty of the murders and sentenced him to death.
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"There is no physical evidence exclusively tying him to the crime, yet he has spent 28 years of his life behind bars, with many of those on death row," the podcast synopsis adds of Keith's story.
Kevin’s brother Charles has always been convinced of his innocence, and to this day he works relentlessly to clear Kevin’s name. After his brother's conviction, he took it upon himself to start his own investigation and as he started educating himself on the legal system and collecting information around the case, he was alarmed by what he found.
"In 2007, thirteen years after Kevin's conviction, Charles met with Assistant Ohio Public Defender Rachel Troutman in her office in Columbus, Ohio. He brought with him all of the evidence he collected and convinced the rookie public defender to investigate the case," explains the Justice For Kevin Keith website.
Where is Kevin Keith now?
"Using all of the new evidence that they collected, Rachel presented the case to Ohio Governor Ted Strickland [in 2010]," the website adds. "After looking through the case, Strickland granted Kevin clemency – taking him off of death row only 13 days before his scheduled execution."
Since then, Keith has been incarcerated at Marion Correctional Institution where he is serving a life sentence.
"I'm really hopeful with this podcast, just to get your story out there, because I think it's so important for people to understand that our system is so fucked up," Kardashian says in a conversation with Keith on the podcast, referencing her aim to help free him from prison.
